Jilytober 2018
by Siriuslychessi
Summary: Prompts taken from @jilytober on Twitter.
1. 01 First Kiss

**01 First Kiss/Get Together**

* * *

You know that line that they feed you about couples, the one that says the first kiss is always the perfect kiss? The kiss that will set the mood, that would tell you if you should be together forever or not? Well I'm here to tell you that line is bollocks. Reality is first kisses are overrated.

The truth is: most first kisses are awkward.

Like the one Mary gave Reginald after their date to Hogsmeade, where he paid of lunch and she was so nervous she sweated through her undershirt in the mid of winter. Reginald was blushing like crazy, stuttering even, and Mary was freaking out about her scarf that kept getting in the middle when they talked because she knew what a date entailed and she knew she was getting kissed, so she wanted to be prepared. There's no need to tell you that it was an utter disaster, Reginald probably kissed more scarf than lips and Mary could only recall the hard wind that stop them from continuing, however, that small hiccup didn't stop them from trying, and become a proper couple.

Another fine example were Marlene and Remus. Is a known fact that Marlene McKinnon is someone that goes after what she wants, she's driven, passionate and doesn't go around the bushes. Another known fact is that no matter how the weather is proven to be against her, or how jittery they both are, Marlene always gives a perfect kiss. Not too long, not too short, always on point, never too eager and always leaving them wanting for more. Yet, with Remus, the perfect kiss was just that, a perfect kiss and nothing more. They didn't date past the few outings they tried to see where things were going and that was it.

That was why Lily Evans, someone practical and observant, didn't think that first kisses were all that great. Sure, they could set the mood, they could tell you some things, but ultimately, what really spoke louder than anything were the actions accompanied that kiss.

So, after too many shots, when her friends and housemates started that horrible 'spin the bottle' game on Halloween of sixth year, she didn't fail to sit at one of the ends of the circles and see the bottle spin around stopping on everyone but herself. It was fun to see how people's faces went red to the brim when they got someone unexpected, or scrunch their noses when they almost got the ones they wanted. With the punch spiked and more people joining it wasn't hard to believe she would never get a turn. She saw Dorcas shyly get a kiss from a seventh year Lily couldn't recall the name at the moment. And one fourth year that squeaked when she got a kiss from Peter Pettigrew. But what made her truly laugh was when Sirius Black, rebel extraordinaire, had to kiss James Potter, his best mate.

Now, Lily wasn't laughing because a boy was kissing another boy, she could care less about that fact, what she laughed about was how Sirius batted his eyelashes like on one of those ridiculous cartoons she used to watch when she was back home, and his hands moved towards his chest coping his left side, exclaiming for everyone to hear: "Stay still my beating heart, or else we won't get to kiss our loved one." in his worst impression of a woman.

What happened next was that not only Sirius played the dramatic exaggerated part but that James, fixing his glasses before moving closer, started to talk in the same corny voice, "If you faint I'll be here to catch you, my love, but I would what thy kiss instead." he smirked extending his hand for Sirius to take, who sighed dreamily, or that's what he intended, coming closer before laughing their asses off in the middle of the circle.

"Oi! That's not a kiss!" Lily exclaimed still laughing at how utterly ridiculous they were. They couldn't do anything simple, they always had to put a production, some sort of twist to be funny or entertaining.

"She's right, James, I'll be jealous, Pete would be devastated that you kissed Sirius, but you have to do it for the game." Remus supported her with a smirk on his lips knowing how stupid this great act this was since they were all drunk and he was sure this scenario was seen before in fifth year with less dialog, but it was fun to stir the pot.

"Well, we have to give the public what they want." James added looking at Sirius who nodded and moved closer, "No tongue, you've kissed half of the common room already." James warned him making Sirius pout.

"Are you jealous, mate?" The Black former heir asked making James shake his head.

"Just cautious, people keep putting amortentia all round." he joked before they pecked their lips and moved to their respective ends of the circle. People were still talking about how Potter and Black were too over the top for the game when the bottle landed, for the first time that night, on Lily's direction.

Now, Lily Evans didn't chicken out of any situation, she as rational but she wasn't a coward, she knew where to draw the line, and when to stop playing. A sober Lily would've probably thought things a bit better and sat on a place where James' bottle wouldn't land, not in a million years, in her direction. James had a bit of a infatuation with her, and even if he had improved since that horrid day at the lake she didn't want to poke the beehive, sort of speak, and makes James believe there was anything more than a friendship. Yet, drunk Lily just wanted part of the fun and didn't consider that it was quite probably that the current scenario developed. James' bottle, pointing in her direction.

James on the other hand didn't think that the universe, not in a million years, would allow him to kiss, even a mild peck, Lily. Why? Because he was an ass to her friend. Given than her friend was a rotten git, but he wasn't exactly blameless. It was true that he had a crush on Lily, that he had acted impulsively –or more impulsive, really– making her annoyed and appalled by his behavior, so he tried to move on from that and tamed himself a little, dated other people, think of Lily of more like a friend than a significant other. However, he would be lying if he said that a little part of him didn't wander: what if. So, when the bottle landed he was a little gobsmaked to react on first take.

"Well, Potter, what are you waiting for?" was what Lily said to make him snap out of his reverie, "I'm wearing a skirt, so..." she motioned to the place she was sitting, saying without words that she wouldn't move, it was one thing to play spin the bottle but she wasn't going to show her knickers to the Common Room.

James nodded and moved from his spot, he crawled to her and looked at her green eyes, like asking for permission, what he just found what her rolling her eyes and pulling him close to kiss his lips. One swift motion, rough, firm, to the point, not at all romantic.

To Lily Evans that kiss was just part of the game, the rules stated that they should kiss, and spin the bottle to kiss the next person and keep the party going, she did that she didn't give that kiss another thought, for the rest of the night, she even kissed the next person without a care in the world.

To James Potter the kiss meant that he was right and she wouldn't look at him as anything more than a housemate, but that she didn't hated him as he thought, and at the moment it was more of a relief than anything else that could happen at that party, because Lily was Remus' friend, even Sirius' friend, and she was utterly brilliant to be around to be always bickering and making everyone uncomfortable. That night James received a kiss but got peace of mind, and that was more important.

Because, as we know, first kisses aren't perfect, they don't set the mood of a relationship. They just set things in motion, and what is important in this case is not the kiss; simple, a bit drunk, blunt; but the clarity that James needed to stop getting on his way, and the trust that Lily needed to stop thinking of James in a horrible light.


	2. 02 Head BoyHead Girl Fight

**02 Head Boy/Head Girl Fight**

* * *

James Potter was a teen boy, a man in wizard years, and to anyone that new James Potter they would say his biggest trait was that he was fun to be around. It wasn't the pranks and hexes people actually remembered (well, not all of them) but the way James Potter made them feel, because it didn't matter if it was a simple pat in the back or the biggest joke known to man, James made people happy in some sort of way. However, when you described the Gryffindor's Quidditch Captain, you never remembered him for being responsible and dedicated to school. It wasn't that James didn't love Hogwarts; which he did, more than most; but that his actions were a little more reckless than 'what a proper student should do'. No one remembered that he had was at the top of their year, that he always managed to help one of two wandering younger students here and there, or that he never missed a deadline on an assignment. Basically no one remembered that Potter was just a big dork.

No, Lily Evans wasn't exactly the model student that clichés depict. She wasn't quiet, with her nose in books, and having a proper curfew that was never broken. Yet Lily had been prefect for some years, and she didn't hold the record for most detentions in a school year, maybe school life. Which was why Lily, Gryffindor, Head Girl, was beyond surprised when she learned that her partner for the rest of the seventh year wasn't Xenophilius Lovegood, the Ravenclaw prefect, or even Severus Snape; her former best mate and now persona non grata; but seventh year rebel James Potter.

Of course, Lily tried not to hold his previous record of detentions and breaking fights in the middle of hallways against him, she tried at least to judge him on the job but it was bloody hard to do it when the git was stubborn and was a dimwit about rules.

"Potter, you can't do that." Lily warned James as she saw the sheet of point deduction and detention that he was bringing in for the hundredth time. It was always the same, Slytherins getting caught, and Lily was tired of the –sort of earned– biased James had against the house. Not everyone wearing green pride was a future mass murder but it seemed that James really believed it.

"And why not?" he asked a little annoyed that he got another no from Evans, they had become amicable in sixth year, he wasn't sure exactly how things turned around but it was certainly better than cold indifference. That was until their disagreements.

"This is the third time this week that you've given Rosier a detention. Or at least try, you can't keep giving detentions to blokes who just give you the stink eye." the redhead added a little exasperated that this was an obvious thing but Poter didn't seem to grasps the concept.

"I've been to triple detention, Evans, I know for a fact you _can_ do this." he replied crossing his arms before rolling his eyes, "You really think so little of me that that's the only reason I could be giving the git detention?" he asked leaning on the desk forgetting the papers and just looking at Lily.

"A bit, yeah. Is no secret that you hate Slytherins, coming with a creative solution to get even is not exactly out of character." She admitted looking at him. James was hurt, it was weird, she had seen him in a lot of situations but even when she rejected him he never looked hurt, not like that. Then came the anger.

"I can't believe you, Evans. 'm not fucking petty!" he added standing up and moving around the desk ruffling his hair half nervous half trying to find something to do with a pent-up energy. She had a point in that point deduction and detentions was how James chose to do things now, he usually punched and faced the consequences later, but he was trying to be a good Head, someone that didn't tarnish the job (not that much) yet she believed he was still the same little git that got Snape hanged by the ankles.

"You haven't even tried to deduct points from any other house, or even your mates. Are you telling me Sirius doesn't deserve to get a few points of his count? What about Remus, I found him wondering about after curfew more than one time." Lily reasoned.

"I know that! Don't you think I know it? I even deserved a few points off myself but that's what you and the other prefects do most of the time!" he replied looking at her shaking her head, "I haven't found any other people to deduct points from, I don't go following anyone and see if their hem is a little shorter than the rule book says!"

"And you think _I_ do?"

"I don't know, I thought you were a saint, Evans. After all you are all seeing and can find more than those gits. I'm not that lucky, I'm nearsighted and they _come looking for me_."

"Oh, poor Potter, that can't take two idiots on his own." Lily mocked placing her hand on her hip and looking at him, knowing well that he could.

James looked at her and shook his head, he couldn't believe that after all his work, after all he tried to do, they still thought he had revenge and pettiness on his mind to do things. "This is ridiculous, I know the handbook, I've broken half of the rules in there and know what earns or not what I've reported there, you just assume I'm doing it to what? Win the Cup House? Throw Slytherin of its game?" he added taking his bag and hanging it over his shoulder, tired of being thought as a bloody bampot. "I believe in my abilities as Captain to do that all on my own, I don't need the Head position to take advantage of this."

Lily looked at him picking up his things, usually James was yelling and protesting about one thing or the other when it came to a discussion with her, but the expression on his face what something quite different at what Lily was used to. He wasn't just angry or annoyed, he was hurt and disappointed, in her. "Where are you going?" she asked quietly knowing that they had to plan rounds for next week. She wasn't sure why she felt bad, even guilty.

"To be a bloody idiot and fight some Slytherins." he mumbled fixing his glasses and taking his cloak on his hand.

"You can't do that." she felt herself repeating the phrase.

James rolled his eyes and fixed his glasses, "I bloody know I'm not _supposed_ to do that. I know what I'm supposed to do, I did that, and you didn't even bother to read the reports." he replied harshly moving backwards to the door, "So I'm going to do what I do best, go play Quidditch and be a dick, maybe try to see if one of my Beaters can aim the bloody Bludger to those idiots' heads. Would that work, or that's not fitting with my image and record?" he asked with a bit of bite but didn't wait for the reply before he left the room.


	3. 03 Sneaking out after hours

**03 Sneaking out after hours**

* * *

James found a way to sneak the Cloak from home for his seventh year.

He wasn't planning on revealing all his secrets to Lily but after being surrounded by prying eyes and bombarded with lots of questions James decided they needed time for themselves.

Taken the cloak from his trunk without the marauders noticing, with the map in his back pocket so he couldn't be easily trace, he took Lily's hand just a bit before curfew and walked towards the entrance doors.

"We should go back. Filch must be around." Lily warned him looking at their joined hands and then at the hallway behind them.

"Peeves made a mess near the Astronomy Tower, we'll be fine." he offered pulling her for a brief kiss and stopping to listen if anyone was coming. It seemed that Flitwick and Sprout were having an evening chat coming their way and James didn't want to risk them being seen. "Do you trust me?" he asked turning to his now girlfriend who look back at him.

"I do, James but this–" she was interrupted by him pulling away and taking a sort of silver fabric from his back pocket. "What is that?"

"A gift from dad." he smiled unrolling the fabric and putting it around his shoulders making her gasps.

"An Invisibility Cloak? Is this why you get out of everything?" she asked half impressed half amused.

"It's a recent gift. I made Head Boy kind of gift, now would you come closer r you want us to get caught?"

Lily stepped near him feeling his cologne and the chill feeling of the fabric over her arms feeling light headed being this close to the bloke she fancied and the thrill of a new adventure.

image


	4. 04 forced Proximity

**04 Forced proximity**

* * *

It wasn't his plan, this wasn't _his_ plan.

Yes, he meant to use the broom closet. Yes, he knew it was charmed, but he wasn't the one that thought of it.

It all had started in third year where Sirius and Remus had started to debate if jinxes or hexes were better. It was a tedious discussion, he had admitted that I could be interesting but after a while the two of them just got unbearable and Pete and him decided to do something.

Pete remembered that his mother used a bonding charm to make his older siblings behave and stop fighting, and as much as they wanted to do that they couldn't because they didn't know that charm just yet, but they knew the one that locked doors and couldn't be opened with a simple _alohamora_. And that is how the charms started, they let Sirius and Remus enter the broom closet and waited until they heard a proper agreement, after that it became "the bonding closet".

Over the years they had done a few alterations to the space. They found the charm that could sense the reconciliation of the two parties, and one that made the room smaller a bit smaller as the time passed, so if the little distance between them because an issue the closet would take care of it. He knew all of this because he had used it to solve the big Quidditch fight of 74 with Peter, and they had pushed Peter and Remus in after the nut and book debacle; it was their way of saying "it's enough fighting you need to get in there and work it out" however this was the first time that a non-marauder was trapped in there.

It was weird how Lily Evans had managed to sneak up and tangle herself in this position. James knew that, aside from his obvious crush on her, Lily was friends with his friends and after the Halloween when they kissed things had been improving with their relationship, they weren't anything more than amicable but it was a nice change of the constant bickering. However they had fallen in the old pattern, they had started to fight about the smallest things: why they couldn't be partners in Potions, how it was possible that the only thing James could always talk about at lunch was Quidditch and how Lily chewed the tips of her quills when she was anxious. But the thing that pushed things over the edge was James asking Lily to Hogsmeade.

James had the best intentions, he swore but the founders that this wasn't a date, that his crush wasn't the reason he had uttered the words. Lily was mates with Remus, tutor partners with Pete and had a weird closeness to Sirius that he wasn't sure how it came to be but it was brilliant all the same; they all finally got along and he thought that maybe, just maybe she would want to go out with them to spend the afternoon at Hogsmeade, Remus would ask Dorcas and Marlene and they could just enjoy the town now that it was getting warm again.

However, when James said "Hey Evans, would you like to go to Hogsmeade this weekend?" he wasn't expecting the frustrated huff and her gathering her things.

"You are unbelievable." She huffed once more placing the strap of her bag on her shoulder, "I can't believe you… you know what I can." She added before turning and leaving. Not even letting James ask what was wrong, how he had fucked up that time, because he didn't think an invitation to hang was such a bad thing.

From that day until their actual predicament it had been almost a week, he knew because he got grumpier by the day and she grew cold and instead of being able to talk or her friends trying to get some sense into them they just pushed them into the 'bonding closet'. Solid logic, as you can see.

Lily had been banging the door non-stop pleading Sirius, Remus, Dorcas or Peter to let them out, that this wasn't funny. James thought that she was just desperate to get away from him, to not deal with that conversation, but her banging didn't seem caused because of him.

"Please, open up!" she pleaded one more time to the wooden door not even turning to look at him, she just jiggled the doorknob one more time with no luck.

"I don't think they are out there." James replied making Lily jump lightly before looking at him. She looked scared and paler that usual, even in the darkness of the closet he could see that something wasn't right. "Are you alright?"

Lily looked at James, he was calmed, composed, like nothing was wrong, and to him it probably wasn't, he was used to sneak around, maybe even hiding in places like this to avoid Filch or the prefects but Lily never liked being trapped. It wasn't just the small place just the sensation of feeling trapped without means of getting out. "I don't like being shoved into small places." She admitted quietly looking at the door again.

"I don't think anyone does." He tried lightening the mood but it he knew it wasn't working, she just felt small, and Lily never felt small, she was a force to be reckon with, that was one of the things James liked of her the most.

"Can you open it, then?" she asked quietly looking at him again, swallowing hard feeling the air in the room stuffy and wanting nothing more than just step out and go to the grounds and feel the fresh air. "Please?" she added after a bit of silence feeling that he was sort of punishing her for being mean the last couple of days, he wasn't much better.

James wasn't being mean, he was mentally cursing their friends, the ones that were supposed to know that she hated that environment, that the bonding closet wasn't supposed to traumatize you. "I can't." he admitted looking at the door, hearing the heavy sigh of Lily that didn't take her hand of the wooden surface. "It's charmed, it has too many for me to try them all." He admitted stepping closer , her green apple shampoo and faint flowery perfume hitting his senses. _Stop that, is not time for that._ "It's supposed to open when we stop fighting." He explained looking at her, feeling a friend near might help her think of other things.

Lily huffed and actually gave a shaky chuckle, "Is this your version of the sibling shirt?" she asked a bit amused but still feeling the door willing it to open.

"And what is that?" James asked intrigued, maybe distracting her would help open the door as they wouldn't be fighting.

Lily looked at James once more, "Mum used to have this oversized shirt that she made me and my sister wear at the same time when we were fighting, by the end we would either shive each other and trip together or be too tired to remember what we fought about." She explained making James laugh. He had a wonderful laugh but it wasn't helping her get out of there.

"Pete has the magical version of that, and this is the marauder way of doing it." He explained smiling at her, "It won't open like that, you can't use your intimidating look to will it open, Evans." He joked a bit feeling that it was more important to calm her that to talk about why they ended up in there.

"I don't have an intimidating stare." She quipped not looking away from him, she even frowned appalled at the idea.

"Oh yeah, you do." James smirked fixing his glasses.

"I'm one sixty five! I can't be that intimidating to someone like you that seem to be two meters tall!" she replied with a gasp swatting his arm not hard enough to cause damage but enough to make her point.

James laughed now that she didn't seem so preoccupied with where they were. "Yeah, you are, you feel bigger than Hagrid when you do it. It's quite scary, you could give Minnie a run for her money." He teased.

"No, I couldn't!"

"Yeah, you could." He smirked, "It's okay, it suits you somehow."

"Is that supposed to be a compliment, Potter?" she asked crossing her arms still feeling uneasy about being in there but James was just infuriating, even in the damn broom closet where they couldn't get out, unless they got along. "Don't do this." She said suddenly, "We are supposed to get along, to open the damn door, don't do this, I don't want to be here." She added severely feeling the stuffiness get to her again, how they couldn't get out and the room seemed to get even smaller.

James sighed ruffing his hair nervously, he always did that when he was anxious, he wanted to help but it seemed that he only made it worst. "I was just trying to distract you. I'm not trying to stay here longer than we have to, but I'm not sure if the room would take were are moving forward if you are afraid." He tried explaining hoping that she understood that he might be an ass in other things, but not on this.

Lily nodded and looked at her hand on the door, It was a stupid method to solve problems, boys were really dumb. "How many times have you been in here?" she asked trying to think of another thing.

"Four, Peter holds the record with eight." James replied leaning on the wall next to the door so Lily could see the frame and look at him as they spoke.

"Really?"

"He's the moodiest of us all. Sirius likes to blow things over proportion but you can usually tell when he has a problem, and Remus is smart enough to not hold that many grudges but we all are just idiots." He chuckled fixing his glasses once more.

Lily's breathing was evening out but she still was holding to the door like it was a lifeline and James was growing worried by the minute. He wanted to break the door, to make them go out and her feel better but that wouldn't work. "Evans, do you trust me?" he asked suddenly, breaking the little train thought Lily had going in her head.

The Gryffindor Prefect looked at her companion, James Potter was wild, he was an ass when he wanted to, and he was an bloody idiot most of the time, but after allowing herself to get to know him she understood that James was an idiotic oy, yes, but his heart was actually in the right place and after the incident in fifth year he had seemed to grow a bit somehow. She thought of all the times her and Snape had talked about Potter and all the actions that went with James' character and after thinking it she wasn't sure why but she couldn't imagine replying to James answer negatively. "Yeah, I do."

James nodded and pushed himself of the door taking Lily's hand from the door, "I need you to close your eyes, please." Lily looked at him quizzically, she wasn't sure were this was going exactly, after all he had just asked her to go to Hogsmeade a few days ago, but James wouldn't take advantage like that, would he? No, Lily didn't think so. "I just want to distract you from where we are, that won't work if you are holding to that door, would it?"

Nodding Lily let James take her hand for a bit longer, it was good, he anchored her when she closed her eyes, she could still think of the broom closet and the little space but she thought she would give James' idea a try.

James gave her simple instructions, think of a big, massive even, place that she adored, somewhere where she felt the safest and happiest, it didn't matter where or that he told him just that it was in Lily's mind. "Think on how it feels, is there a texture particular to that spot?" he asked for her to imagine as he rubbed gentle circles on her knuckles feeling how Lily's mind went out of their little closet and to a less troubled place. "Think of the smells, smells are always brilliant to remember things." He admitted not taking his eyes of Lily and just making sure that he wasn't making things worst, that he was just there for her.

Lily could feel the fluffy sofa of the Common Room, the smell of the fireplace and the permanent smell of burning wood and oranges that was left after a marauders' prank. She knew the shape of the cushions and the comfy blanket that she always brought, she could even see the stars from the nearby window.

"That's brilliant, Lily, you did it." He smiled, speaking after a few minutes of Lily being silent and calmed. "Now, just keep thinking of that, were are just there talking, yeah?" he asked hoping she wouldn't get back to the panicked feeling of before, he knew she wasn't exactly happy there but at least she wasn't over worrying. "Can you please tell me, what are we fighting about? Because, in all honesty, I can't think of anything." He admitted looking at their joined hands, liking the sensation but feeling his mind should focus on other things.

Lily was brought back to reality, she could feel James' cologne and how safe he made her feel as he tried his best to keep calm as he asked the things that would let them be out, but the question he uttered just made her jolt and take her hand back. The darkness of the broom closet reminding her she wasn't actually in the Common Room. "You know perfectly well. You asked me out, just because we kissed at spin the bottle last year doesn't mean I'm interested, we were finally…" she sighed frustrated looking aback at the door, "We were finally getting along."

James shouldn't have been hurt by Lily's words, he shouldn't have, but he was. He knew she wasn't interested, he wasn't going to push it, he was actually trying to get over it because this was getting ridiculous and one could hope only for so long. Instead of being mad at her, or frustrated, he just rolled his eyes like it was another kind of joke, because his intentions remained the same, he wanted the fight to end. "I was asking you out as _mates_ we are going as a _bloody group_ , Evans." He admitted shaking his head, "The blokes and Dorcas and Marlene are coming. And you say I'm the conceited one." He joked placing his hands inside his pockets.

The redhead looked at him and blinked at his reply, he wasn't trying to ask her out? It was all a misunderstanding? She ought to feel relieved about that revelation but somehow it felt wrong, it felt like she _wanted_ him to ask her out. However they were right, things were starting to be alright, they should stir the cauldron, right?

"Oh… then I'm sorry, my bad." she added in a small voice before hearing the click of the door opening.

"Don't worry about it, Red, we all make mistakes." James smiled at her and held the door open for her not wanting it to close again. "After you."

"Thank you."


	5. 05 Lily finding about RemusAnimagi

Blood, blood everywhere, that's how the morning after the full moon had found James and his friends. He didn't understand what had happened, how it had happened, usually the wolf didn't attack them, it was used to their smell and behaviour, yet that night... Merlin, how did they had survived it all?

James didn't blame it on Remus, he knew fair well that if his mate remembered anything he would put the blame on himself without any help but they needed to see what was affecting the wolf for next moon, they needed a better plan because this clearly wasn't working.

Doing a mental check on his injuries; what they could heal, what they needed help with; he approached Remus and gave his assessment. Remus was unconscious, like most mornings after, and his body was covered in scratches and a few puncture wounds from Prongs' antlers, nothing deadly but he needed healing, and nothing seemed to be too badly broken to be concerning which made James sigh and wince painfully as adrenaline started to wear off and his body started to protest.

James was ready to find their potions and clothes for Remus so he'll be decent when Poppy came for him when he heard a gasp behind him. "Prongs..." the shaky voice of Peter reached his ears and he turned to see that Sirius was still in his dog form bleeding from a bite to his side. James couldn't remember when that happened, was it when he took Moony of Padfoot? After? It there was a big commotion and his mind was just trying to come up with a way to heal Sirius in his dog form.

The shine of the sun on the broken mirror in the room reminded James that it was morning, and by then they would be gone, yet today they weren't. He looked at himself, his clothes were a mess and if he went to the castle he would rise more questions than anything so instead he looked at Peter, he was a little shaken and his clothes were far from perfect but all in all he could blame it on the tunnel, Poppy knew they helped Remus get to the Hospital Wing when he couldn't so it wouldn't be too suspicious. "I'll take him upstairs, you need to clean the blood a bit and go find Poppy, we can't... we can't heal all of this." he admitted to his friend that nodded as they both stood up.

Moving his wand James made Padfoot's body float over the stairs and into the farther room on the second flood, placing him as gently as he could over the bed and summoning the bag they had hidden in there for suck cases, it had a change of clothes, potions and bandages, even a few snacks, perfect to patch things up before returning to the castle. They barely used it because ever since the wolf got used to them all they did was play and explore but today he was glad they had it.

Gently he put his hand on Padfoot's neck, feeling warmth beneath the fur and faint breathing which calmed his nerves a bit but Sirius needed to change back for the potions to take full effect, they learned about human healing, animals... well, they weren't exactly animals but James hadn't gone that far just yet. "Pads, come on, wake up, mate." he talked shaking his friend lightly, maybe he could have enough energy to change back? Maybe it wasn't as bad as he thought? "Sirius, please... I just need you to change back, mate, this is... this is new... I've just learned how to trim your nails without hurting you, you can't ask me to heal you like this." he pleaded once more getting a bit more desperate because an unconscious Sirius wasn't a good signal.

Get it together, James, no one is helping if they start panicking. He reminded himself trying to swallow the tears that threatened to come out and the abysmal worry so he could actually do something to help his mate, his brother. Sirius would get through it, he would wake up and just lick his face like he did every time he slept as Padfoot. It'd be okay.

It was more like his hands remembered what to do than his mind, he cleaned the wound the best he could by wand, and looked in the bag for the potions that would help the cicatrizing process, some balms and everything that he could recall. Carefully he tried to make Padfoot swallow the healing potion before moving to his side dabbing the wound with a balm that would help the process. The problem was that Sirius' animagus form was massive and the potions were running short.

Remembering the second stash they had at the Forbidden Forest he looked at his friend once more, it seemed that the bleeding was stopping but with cursed wounds he wasn't sure if it'll work as smoothly. "I'll be right back, Sirius, don't move please." he pleaded not sure that he was being heard but he couldn't think of the alternative. Losing Sirius wasn't an option, he couldn't even think of the possibility, it hurt too much.

Lily Evans found herself sleepless that particular morning, she wasn't sure how it had happened but it did and now she wasn't sure what to do with herself. She had studied for all the test and decided that that morning she wouldn't dwell on anxious thoughts but rather on the nostalgia of another year almost coming to an end, a year that would be her second to last at Hogwarts and next year with tests and the future lurking she wasn't sure she would be able to enjoy the castle as much.

On that mindset she started her path towards the grounds. At that particular hour the grounds were deserted, most students were still trying to hold their comfy beds a little longer before another day of full schedules and lessons started. She felt at ease that she wasn't actually breaking the rules but felt a bit daring and walked near the Forest's lines. She was enjoying the cool breeze and dew covered grass, thinking of her summer and how much she would love it, even though she would miss the castle, when she saw a familiar figure coming from the trees and going towards the Whopping Willow.

Now, Lily knew that James Potter was an ass, a daredevil but he wasn't an idiot, she didn't think that Potter would actually go near the devilish boxing tree, not after what it did to Remus last time they tried this little game, however James was coming closer to the tree by the second and Lily couldn't help but scream "What the fuck are you doing?!"

James was too focused on reaching the willow before Poppy got there, he needed to get to Padfoot as soon as he could and if the matron was in the middle of the living room of the Shrieking Shack he wouldn't be able to heal his friend in time before something more horrid happened. That was the reason he flinched at Lily's exclamation and just turned with a confused expression, like a deer in the headlights, not expecting the redhead addressing him and much less coming towards him in the middle of grounds at early morning.

"I, uh…" he started to reply, trying to come up with something that sounded plausible but his brain was just focused on his friends and on the time passing by.

"Do you have a death wish or have so many Bludgers hit your head that you can't not think properly?" Lily was worried, it seemed that James wasn't the same ball of energy he usually was, he seemed a bit shaken and… was that blood? she didn't noticed the blood on his shirt and hands when she was so far away, but the closer she got the clearer it was that something had already happened. "What happened? Are you injured?"

James wasn't used to Lily being worried, not with him, the bickered and, recently, joked around but they didn't have that kind of relationship yet where they expressed more deep feelings that a shared joke and passing agreement. This took James out of his reverie and focused on the bag on his hand and the task to perform.

"It's not mine." He replied quickly and looked back at the castle where at any minute Peter would come with Madame Pomfrey and at his clock. They were cutting it short. "Look, Evans, I don't have time to explain right now, I really need to go, please go back to the castle and I'll explain everything, I promise, but right now I can't." He admitted sincerely and struggled to get his want out of his pocket, adrenaline was running low again and he couldn't help but shake at the thought of Remus and Sirius injured at the Shack.

Lily looked at James and frowned, this wasn't his usual self, something had happened and she wasn't going to let it go that easily, the fact that it wasn't his blood didn't matter, this wasn't something casual, nor a prank. This was something serious. "I won't go anywhere, Potter, you clearly have a death wish going against the willow, I can't leave you like this." she motioned to him fully making James sigh.

James looked at Lily and then at the willow, back to his watch, he didn't have time to argue. "I'm not fighting against the damn thing." he replied a bit annoyed but, more than anything, frustrated with the whole thing. He took his and and summoned a branch to hit the knot of the tree with making it stop and looking at Lily. "There, now you know it can't harm me, could you please go back to the castle and I'll explain later, please?" he pleaded like he never had, he was too proud to ask for this, at least in Lily's eyes, but he would do anything for Remus –and an unconscious Sirius–, Lily couldn't find out, not like this.

Lily looked at James and then at the willow, it was frozen, like any other tree, this was the first time in all her Hogwarts' years that she had seen it static. She was about to reply to James when she saw him looking at the castle and exclaiming a "Bloody hell!" under his breath, before looking back at her, "Don't have time to explain, Evans, I'll see you later." and with that, James started to run towards the roots of the Whomping Willow and entered a well hidden tunnel.

James walked as fast as he could into the tunnel, he knew the tunnels like the back of his hand, he used them every month to get in and out in the middle of the night since second year. He was so used to them that he didn't need his wand to light the path and he was so focused on getting to Sirius that it took him a minute to realize that there was light inside the tunnel.

"Who is injured and how did you know there was a tunnel below the tree?" a female voice was heard behind James, which made him jump and hit his head.

"Fuck, Evans, why can't you just, for once, do as I ask?!" he said rubbing his head and looking back at her, "You can't be here, it's dangerous, and… bloody hell, you just can't be here!" he exclaimed quietly looking at her and then at the end of the tunnel. He wasn't worried about her, the full moon had passed and she was in no danger but the implications on what would happen to Remus if another student found out about his condition… James didn't want to think about it.

"You don't think I can handle myself?" she asked arching an eyebrow and shaking her head disapprovingly.

"Not everything is about you, you know?" he replied in the same manner, "You can't be here, I shouldn't be here, but if they find you… If…" he started but then shook his head and sighed, "You just can't. This is not a preference of mine. You need to go back to the castle." He instructed even though he saw the expression on her face that said she wouldn't go anywhere.

"It's obvious you can't handle this on your own. If someone is injured you'll need help, you need to call Madame Pomfrey-"

"She's on her way. And she can't find you here. Don't you see? If they find you here there would be a lot more trouble than it needs to be…" he pulled his hair, starting to get frustrated. Sirius was bleeding out and Lily couldn't find about Remus like this. Remus would hate himself forever.

"Is Remus, isn't it? He's the one injured? Last night was a full moon." She replied simply, like it was the worst kept secret in the entire Hogwarts history.

"You know." It wasn't a question, just a statement, a realization that she was the brightest witch he had ever met.

"Severus thought so, I always thought he was crazy, but after some Prefect round's schedules it wasn't hard to figure out." She replied with a shrug.

James was about to nod and let her know it was all fine when he heard the voices.

"It was my turn to check on Remus, Sirius and James had a late detention and are snoring…" it was Pete's voice at the other end of the tunnel with Madame Pomfrey.

"They'll expel Remus if they find you here, put that out." He instructed desperately, "I'll explain the rest but she can't find us put here." He promised once more and this time she believed him.

James guided her towards the trap door at the end of the tunnel. She saw Remus on the floor and gasped at how pale and injured he looked. "Poppy will heal him. Come." He said quietly and hurried her upstairs to a bedroom, closing the door behind them. Padfoot was still on the bed passed out.

James put some silencing charms on the walls so the people downstairs didn't hear them; then he checked the dog's vitals and it seemed that Padfoot was breathing a little better even if he wasn't awake. "You got me scared for a bit." He said to the dog more than to the redhead leaving the bag full of potions on the bed, taking them out to check what else he could give the animagus to make him wake a change back.

"Did… did Remus do this?" Lily asked looking at the injured dog and at James. Lily knew about werewolves but until she saw the damage she didn't _know_ what they could actually do.

"No,." James replied simply before sighing, "the wolf did, Remus wouldn't harm anyone like this." He explained finding the potion and looking at the fellow Gryffindor, "He will say this is his fault, he'll crumble with guilt but this is not Remus. No matter what people like to think."

Lily nodded, still pale, letting the words sink in. "Why don't you let Poppy heal the dog as well?" If this was about healing the dog so Remus wouldn't feel guilty Poppy could do it, right?

"She cannot find out about it." James replied simply, not demanding, just stating the obvious. Slowly the bespectacled man took the bandages from the injuries and cleaned them again, reapplying the healing balm and closing the wounds again so Padfoot would stop bleeding altogether.

"And why not? Would they send Remus to jail for biting a dog too?" She asked genuinely worried about her friend moving to the head of the animal and stroking its fur softly.

James looked at her briefly before looking for another potion. "They might, people have a lot of prejudices against werewolves." He added with a shrug carefully taking the potion out and moving the dog's head up to make it drink it.

"That is not going to fix a body as big as his." Lily pointed trying to help somehow making James nod, sitting back on the bed looking at Padfoot. "I know I just want to heal him enough." He just needed to heal him enough to change back but Lily would be gone by then, she could leave as soon as Poppy reached a good distance from the willow.

"You mean enough to hang until Pomfrey leaves and we take him to a vet, right?" Lily replied deciding that she would help Remus even with just this. The biy she saw downstairs had enough with the monthly transformations.

"We?" James asked not sure if he heard correctly, "Of course enough to make him get better help." He half lied because he couldn't take Padfoot to a vet, that wasn't how he would be healed, would it?

It didn't matter what James think because at that precise moment a little whine escaped Sirius and all his attention centered on his best mate. "Thank Godric." he exclaimed looking at the dog that instead of just looking around and check he just transformed back into a battered teen with big bandages around various places.

"Sirius?!" Lily asked not sure what she was seeing but that couldn't be it, Sirius was barely 17, he couldn't be an animagus, could he?

Sirius wasn't thinking he transformed back, he just remembered that if the dog was hurting he needed to go back so he could be healed. He didn't notice that with James was also an outsider that didn't have the slightest clue on what was he and she wasn't supposed to know, and at the moment he couldn't care less about it because his body ached like it hadn't done in a while.

James on the other hand was split between explaining things to Lily and fixing Sirius' injuries. He needed to act quickly and now that his friend was in human form he could heal him quicker. He took his wand a cleaned the wounds once more, placing a good charm on the bandages so they wouldn't fall and make Sirius take a blood replenishing potion and healing potion letting his mate rest on the bed as he found the words to explain the madness to the redhead.

"He needs to go to Madame Pomfrey, you can't leave him here!" Lily protested making Sirius groan and James frown, Sirius needed to rest and Lily wasn't helping. Also, didn't she understand what taking Sirius to Pomfrey would mean?

"We can't do that, Remus will be expelled, we all would. And we will be thrown to jail, and I do not want to go to jail. Remus will be shove to Azkabn's darkest cell and after all he's been through he doesn't deserve this, so no, Sirius will heal here and you won't say anything about the bloody ordeal. He'll be fine by tonight."

"He's been bitten by a fucking werewolf! He's not fine!" Lily yelled trying to convey how fucked up this was, how could James let his best mate suffer like this.

"He's bitten every fucking month, we all have, he's been worse, Evans, we know what we are doing. Animals can't be affected by werewolves' bites, he just needs to sleep it off." He explained annoyed with her superiority like they didn't know better, of course they knew, they spend every month with Remus and the wolf, they had all been through this, this wasn't his first full moon and wouldn't be the last.

"What do you mean you have as well? Isn't Sirius…" finally Lily's brain caught up, it all made sense, how they turned to class half beaten and half asleep. She always thought that they just did it so it wasn't so obvious Remus was missing because of the full moon, but now… "Since when?"

"Beginning of fifth year, so almost two years." he replied resting his back on the headboard looking at her, letting Sirius rest, the potions would work their effect and he would be fine by the evening.

"Why all the trouble? He could kill you?" She asked more curious than anything, not everyone will do this for a friend. Most friendships were based on a shallow prospect of keeping each other secrets and that was about it.

"Each month Remus came back worse than the last, we found out about his furry little problem in second year and after a while he told us that when he's alone the wolf bites himself, he looks for something to hunt and harm and… well it wasn't pretty. So we thought of a way to help him, we can not take his lycanthropy away but we can help make it less painful." he shrugged checking in Sirius and then back at Lily, "As I've mentioned animals can't be affected by the bite, it stings and is a hell to heal but that's about it. With time the wolf knew us and we were like a pack, we can even take him hunting hares in the Forbidden Forest far from the castle, but last night…" he shook his head and looked a this bloody hands, "It was like back at the beginning, the wolf was too restless. He attacked Padfoot and then… well…" he motioned to Sirius, "I'm thankful I could take him off Sirius."

"You are bigger than Sirius?" The dog was massive and a full grown werewolf was as big as a bear, so that took a lot of force to confront it.

James chuckled humorlessly at the innuendo joke Sirius would make on the question and nodded. "You could say that, I'm a big stag, I have horns, this tends to win many arguments on full moons." he replied looking at her trying to assess if she was going to tell on them or not. If she kept Remus secret he wasn't sure she would go ratting them out just yet. "So, what do you say, Evans, can you keep a secret?" he asked hoping she would say yes because he couldn't fret with another person to keep his guard on.

Lily was silent for a moment, the last thing she expected for this day was to get involved in this, it was a lot of information to take, but what caught her by surprise the most wasn't how Remus looked after the full moon, or the damage the wolf could cause, but how three boys could go to this length to help a fellow friend. It made Lily see James, Sirius and Peter in a different light than before.

James was starting to worry, she was about to tell the universe their best kept secret and that was because of his clumsy ass, he should have done something else, to avoid her somehow. At the panicking moment he even considered hexing her and running, but that didn't seem like a proper way to deal with everything they had to handle, did it? Maybe it was the lack of sleep or the adrenaline wearing off but the moment seemed to extend forever and he just wanted to know if he should prepared for the dementors or not.

"That depends, Potter," Lily replied, James swallowed hard, "Do I get to know what Peter is, or you ashamed that he's bigger than you and don't want to share?" she tried lightening the mood with a small joke and sat on the other side of Sirius, she still had a lot of questions but she knew that she couldn't reveal their secret.


	6. 06 Dancing

**Dancing**

* * *

There were so many pictures around the house that he usually didn't remember when they were taken, or what exactly was the point of his having one photo on the small Christmas tree. Road trips, birthdays, shenanigans, weddings, and assortments of memories printed in black and white or sometimes in color filled the walls and even cabinets of the small cozy home.

Usually they exhibited the new ones, the ones that reflected the new changes in the members of the family, but today he wasn't looking for those, he was looking at an album filled with people that didn't belong in the portraits or walls any longer, just the memories and wrong pages of the forgotten object.

Was he ever so tiny? Of course he wouldn't remember, most of the pictures in there were either taken by his friend or his parents but sometimes looking at his Hogwarts pictures he felt the tiniest person of the gang. How could he not? Everyone seemed so cool and daring, and there he was, wanting to belong so hard that he thought it was written on his face.

He could see himself growing with each passing page and remembering most of the joyful and painful memories that spread through them. However, he wasn't expected to find a little bundle of pictures scattered in the middle of the album. They weren't particularly good pictures and, at first, he couldn't recall exactly why he had them then the memories came flooding.

It was a chilly day at Hogsmeade, there were still puddles from the drizzle that seemed to permanently fall that week, the shops had most of their chimeney's running since it was just February and the temperatures were still down but Hogsmeade; muddy and all; always drew Hogwarts students, even when they had roamed every nook of the little town. For James, Sirius, Remus and Peter that wasn't different. Each time it felt like a new adventure, a time to find a new passage —either to the castle or to another location— or simply a time to meet with some of their favorite people in town.

Today was no different, Sirius was being enthusiastic as ever, talking loudly with his arm rested on Peter's shoulder, something about the magnificence of Rosmerta's cooking and how he would miss it so when they graduated when James approached Remus putting his hand on the other man's shoulder.

"Is he ranting about Rosmerta again?" James asked in a good mood looking at his friend almost on top of Peter, who was rolling his eyes hard at Sirius' comments.

"When does he not?" Remus chuckled looking at his friends, "I remember you rambling about her too, if I'm not mistaken last time we were here you said something in the lines of: 'she's a beauty, she would go for me instead of Pads'." He joked feeling a small arm wrapped around his from the other side.

Turning he saw a smiling Lily Evans. It was the first time she joined the group for a trip to town, and Remus was glad that he finally wasn't in the middle of a fight between her and James.

"Should I be jealous of that comment? Am I interfering in James and Rosmerta's love?" she asked in faked concern, making Remus chuckle as he knew James would start making excuses about the comment; all in good fun.

Remus just shook his head, smiling at the readhead. "No, you are not coming in between them, but I'm afraid you are a cover for James and Sirius' love affair. Quite sordid." he joked as well.

"You rotten bastard! You are supposed to be on my side!" James complained making the other two Gryffindor laugh.

"That's quite alright, mum taught me to share. Besides, it's not like all of Hogwarts isn't aware of the two of you. You make a cute couple." she tried saying ti with a serious face but it was impossible.

James was about to reply when he heard Sirius yell in the distance; "Would you three stop mocking about, I'm hungry, hurry up!"

The five of them reach the Three Broomsticks, it was packed as usual but they found a spot to have lunch and keep joking about Rosmerta, James and Sirius. Lily wasn't sure how she ended up just with the boys, she was sure Mary and Marlene would join her soon, but she really didn't mind at the moment, the boys were funny and kind and there was never a dull moment. Before she thought she would feel like an outsider, but after that afternoon she asked herself why they haven't done that before.

The afternoon went along, a camera was passed between friends as they moved along. There was one with Peter asking a cute 6th year out, and another of Lily eating the spiciest candy Honeydukes had to offer. They even entered Zonko's for a short bit, surprising Lily when they weren't there more than 10 minutes before Remus offered to have tea at a bakery at the end of town where the perfect scones were baked, not before Sirius got pranked by a hair color changing hat, adding another picture to the film.

People rarely took the back way through town. The shops were on the main street and everything else was just a few homes and scattered businesses that didn't fill on students but more on the town residents, which made them much more interesting. The small coffee shop that Peter discovered in fourth year that always had a grumpy old man reading the Daily Prophet, and sore he hated teens but was always willing to share the most interesting stories, and always sat at the same table at the back, just a black coffee as company.

Or the music instrument store that Remus found as he hid from one of his date in 5th year, when they started to talk about weddings and children and they were just having tea for the first time.

The backside of Hogsmeade was small but just as lively as the main street, it just didn't attract as many students and the sweet shop did, or the restricted toys would, however for the four boys that loved to be wherever no one else had before it was a thrill.

It didn't take long before Lily fell for the charm of the quiet side of Hogsmeade, the houses were cute, you could see the edge of the forest that was vibrant green, and she was in the company of four hilarious boys that kept bickering like an old marriage about the silliest things. She was about to interrupt with a cheeky comment about her boyfriend and his best mate, and how it seemed that she was the first woman to ever broken the "all male" group when she was interrupted by a soft tune.

"Right on time." Commented Peter as he looked up to a second floor where you could hear the music coming from.

"Does this happen every time you come through here?" Lily asked confused as he looked at Sirius pulling Peter on an impromptu dance and Remus chuckled.

"Not when we come, Mrs McCormack always turns the record player around tea time. She and her husband used to dance a lot so she keeps the tradition alive." Remus explained pointing to the old woman swaying happily with the music making Lily smile.

"What do you say, Rem, shall we dance?" James asked his friend, with a smirk on his lips.

Remus laughed at how ridiculous James looked but shook his head, "No, you should ask your girlfriend, looks like she can lead better than I can." the Gryffindor joked, moving to make way for James to reach Lily.

"What do you say, Evans, think you can handle this on the dance floor?" make a silly move before taking her hand and pulling her close.

"I don't think you can handle _me_ on the dance floor, Potter. You should be prepared." she commented with a small laugh, starting to move with him. The movement felt easy and natural, like they've done this a thousand times.

James' hand on her back had the perfect pressure, enough to guide her but not to constrict her. Lily's feet moved gracefully on the cobblestones laughing at how ridiculous they must seem to outsiders that didn't know Mrs McCormack, or the little music that didn't play loud enough to leave that particular street. The music continued and those little details were even smaller when she turned to James, his eyes never leaving her, not for an instant, not even when Peter asked Sirius to dance and started a leading war between them, or when Remus almost fell laughing.

It was like time slowed down just to let them enjoy the music for a little longer, to feel James' steady hand on the lower part of her back, and Lily's eye twingle with something that wasn't just mischievous and random fun. To let them enjoy the electricity their hands sparked when James moved to make Lily twirl and the warmth that spread through James' chest when Lily's smile went a little bit wider.

It was almost perfect, and almost strong enough to let them forget about the other three that were near them.

"Come on, let's see if it actually works." Sirius' distant voice carried with a joke tone as Lily was spun once more, making the dancers look at their friends, "Go on, we don't have all day, show us how it works." he encouraged once more making Remus laugh and nod pointing his camera at the two still dancing.

Lily's attention was brought back to James as he laughed, not exactly at his friends, it was the contagious laugh that was filled with warmth and care, that made Lily forget that she was 'not exactly part of that world', as the little voice told her over and over, more after Severus called her that nasty word; or that it was too cold outside. It was the perfect laugh that made her realise that she was head over heels in love with James Potter and she didn't want to stop the world to stop spinning towards him.

She saw him smirk at her, "Let's give them a good show, huh?" Potter commented as she was spun one more time, almost not hearing the distant click and flash of the camera, not really caring that she did.

"Let's give them an image to remember." she heard herself saying before turning to give him a kiss.


	7. 07 AU Everybody Lives

Summer, a flickering season that started okay; with the sun shining through the clouds and always ended with shirts soaked in sweat and the promise of a recurrent sunburn if you forgot to apply sunscreen. Which always happened to people with her complexion.

It was no surprise that Lily hated it.

Being home with her husband and kid was amazing, she wasn't going to lie; she loved her job at Mungo's and she was passionate about her patients; but after a rather long day at work she was excited about a relaxing weekend.

James always had some sort of activity planned, after being inside the house for almost two years and not being able to leave he took any opportunity to take the family out, road trips, Quidditch games, visiting old friends. Everything he could to ensure that all the time they spent in the little house at Godric Hollow remained as a little anecdote and not what they did with their lives.

That's how they ended in the middle of Scotland on the hottest day of the year.

Lily didn't mind, it had been dreadful last weekend when they tried to teach Harry new Quidditch plays. The poor guy was devastated for not being able to fly a broom that day and they promised to make it up to him. Ergo, middle of nowhere with a five year old giggling as the broom picked up height.

"Don't let him get too high!" Lily reminded her husband who was in another broom next to Harry making sure he was near the kid if Harry ever lost his balance.

"You talk like we are killing the bloke, we are just having fun, right, kiddo?" an eager Sirius replied making faces at Harry who giggled at his uncle, making Lily roll her eyes playfully with a smile.

"I was talking about you, you git. Wouldn't want your ego bruised from a fall, you'd never recover." the redhead joked as she opened a book to start reading where she left off, hearing a hearty laugh from James and Remus as the boys kept making sure everything was set for Harry's little game.

She was starting to be enraptured with her book when cold glass was pressed on her cheek making her jump, "Fuck!" she said under her breath.

Mary laughed at her friend looking at the boys on the brooms. "Is that how you talk around your child? No wonder his first word was git." the woman smiled and handled the cold beverage to the redhead sitting in the chair next to hers.

Lily thanked her for the cold drink leaving it next to her, "I blame that on Sirius, he's much worse than I am." the healer replied looking at her friend, "Is Reginald coming?"

Mary and Lily had been friends since Hogwarts, she was glad that even after the war and everything that had happened they could reconnect and still be part of each other's lives. Mary was amazingly caring and fun to be around and Lily needed a bit of normalcy after being cooped up in a house for almost two years.

"No, he and Marlene have an assignment at the Ministry. I don't know what they would need him for but it seems it's right up his alley." Marry informed her friend leaning on the chair, enjoying the sun. "5 knuts that Sirius would reprimand James about being too hard on Harry."

Lily had to laugh at that bet, Sirius loved her son, at first she was a bit reluctant on choosing him as godfather, she felt closer to Remus in a way, but after seeing how fiercely Sirius fought for their family all doubts went out of the window. "5 knuts Sirius and James start arguing and Remus is the one that ends up playing with Harry." Lily replied, making Mary laugh this time.

Not long after that Mary joined the boys, she wasn't as great as the rest but she had fun making Harry laugh and tossing the quaffle between his aunt and uncles to make sure he was enjoying every bit of his saturday. Lily couldn't be more grateful for a simple saturday like that one, even with her aversion to sunscreen and her skin red as a tomato, her mind wasn't on how much she hated the season but how much she loved her family.

It took her a while to gather the remaining broom next to their things, it had been almost 5 years since she rode properly but the air on her hair and the sensation of freedom that James loved so much crept through her body flying rapidly to her husband and stealing the quaffle, knowing full well that he was more focused on their child than on the ball.

She approached her son and gave her the ball, smirking a bit while James fixed his glasses. "What do you say, Harry, shall we play against daddy and the uncles?" earning a gleeful "Yes!" from her kid.


End file.
